The work is all. You brought us back to those days of war and uncertainty. And you brought us through the dust of our longings and our hungry youth. We were made as individuals, not clones. We each have a place to be and to live and to fit in this world. Sometimes all we can do is lament the passing of time or the reality of the existence of darkness. Yet in that is our purpose - it is the work that releases the best in us. Not for others so much as for the Universe that calls us with its siren song. The art we make and the work we do is what we offer and give to every being, and that brings us the joy of life. It fulfills our longings and we realize what we are made for. Thank you Patti for the late night beauty.
This is lovely and so important at this time. I have children and am an artist and the hardest thing is
Explaining what is happening and why . It’s hard to go on making work in this current unrest. I often think of Messiaen’s Quartet for the end of Time. For me it’s One of the most heartfelt and beautiful pieces of music, created in a concentration camp. Messiaen said that in the camp , when it was played , it was the time when his music was listened to and valued more than in any time of his life or in any other performance of his work.
I was just watching your interview with Jesse. Really I enjoyed it a lot, many parts, ..I just wrote this line down whilst listening though, 'you miss a beat, you invent another one' .. I like that. nm.
Love You Patti! Everything matters - especially folks like you who are part of the solution and not the pollution of our collective reality. I became friends with Lenny Kaye over the 30 years I lived and created in the East Village. He was one of the most down to earth nice artists I ever met and I met a bunch. I even met you once briefly with my wife just before finally departing NYC near he end of Covid at a vegetarian restaurant over in West Village/Soho. It’s okay to have the blues - otherwise how you know what joy was? The human world has always been messed up and gets better and then back a bit and so on in cycles. We are evolving albeit super slowly but we will all get to the promised land that MLK spoke of. I believe that God is good and just and has a plan for all. Take Care and feel better - don’t carry the world on your shoulders - let go and let God. Peace and Love!
Amanda Palmer posted this on Facebook, I try to take comfort in Patti's own words:
“I believe that this planet hasn't seen its Golden Age.
Everybody says it's finished ... art's finished, rock and roll is dead, God is dead.
Fuck that!
This is my chance in the world.
I didn't live back there in Mesopotamia, I wasn't there in the Garden of Eden, I wasn't there with Emperor Han, I'm right here right now and I want now to be the Golden Age.
…if only each generation would realize that the time for greatness is right now when they're alive ... the time to flower is now.”
In this troubled world, the one aspect that makes sense is to stand up for one's beliefs, and if we're in sequence with inspired impulse, we lift others as a result from the work.
"With either a sense of activism or illumination, we have to do our work". I love this, and learning that Guernica inspired your work so much. We can't just wish for peace, we have to work for it.
🙏
The work is all. You brought us back to those days of war and uncertainty. And you brought us through the dust of our longings and our hungry youth. We were made as individuals, not clones. We each have a place to be and to live and to fit in this world. Sometimes all we can do is lament the passing of time or the reality of the existence of darkness. Yet in that is our purpose - it is the work that releases the best in us. Not for others so much as for the Universe that calls us with its siren song. The art we make and the work we do is what we offer and give to every being, and that brings us the joy of life. It fulfills our longings and we realize what we are made for. Thank you Patti for the late night beauty.
This is lovely and so important at this time. I have children and am an artist and the hardest thing is
Explaining what is happening and why . It’s hard to go on making work in this current unrest. I often think of Messiaen’s Quartet for the end of Time. For me it’s One of the most heartfelt and beautiful pieces of music, created in a concentration camp. Messiaen said that in the camp , when it was played , it was the time when his music was listened to and valued more than in any time of his life or in any other performance of his work.
Thank you Patti, I needed to hear this today. Much love to you.
Thank you so much. I really appreciate you. When i bought this book, i never thought that one day i could hear you actually read from it.
You mean the world to me. ❤️
♥️
I was just watching your interview with Jesse. Really I enjoyed it a lot, many parts, ..I just wrote this line down whilst listening though, 'you miss a beat, you invent another one' .. I like that. nm.
Are you/we more disheartened today than you/we were when our heroes were killed in the 60s or the George W years?
Love You Patti! Everything matters - especially folks like you who are part of the solution and not the pollution of our collective reality. I became friends with Lenny Kaye over the 30 years I lived and created in the East Village. He was one of the most down to earth nice artists I ever met and I met a bunch. I even met you once briefly with my wife just before finally departing NYC near he end of Covid at a vegetarian restaurant over in West Village/Soho. It’s okay to have the blues - otherwise how you know what joy was? The human world has always been messed up and gets better and then back a bit and so on in cycles. We are evolving albeit super slowly but we will all get to the promised land that MLK spoke of. I believe that God is good and just and has a plan for all. Take Care and feel better - don’t carry the world on your shoulders - let go and let God. Peace and Love!
The art must continue. It is our only hope, our light, the secret of our souls. Never stop. Sending you much love & light. Thank you for all you do.
Sensitivity, deep thoughts, kindness mixed with raw emotion—this is why I love you, Patti.
What matters is the work.
Amanda Palmer posted this on Facebook, I try to take comfort in Patti's own words:
“I believe that this planet hasn't seen its Golden Age.
Everybody says it's finished ... art's finished, rock and roll is dead, God is dead.
Fuck that!
This is my chance in the world.
I didn't live back there in Mesopotamia, I wasn't there in the Garden of Eden, I wasn't there with Emperor Han, I'm right here right now and I want now to be the Golden Age.
…if only each generation would realize that the time for greatness is right now when they're alive ... the time to flower is now.”
― Patti Smith
"Can't Go On Will Go On" makes total sense now. Love ya Patti ❤️
In this troubled world, the one aspect that makes sense is to stand up for one's beliefs, and if we're in sequence with inspired impulse, we lift others as a result from the work.
"With either a sense of activism or illumination, we have to do our work". I love this, and learning that Guernica inspired your work so much. We can't just wish for peace, we have to work for it.